The war hero next door

Cape Breton Post

Published: Apr 03, 2017 at midnight

Updated: Oct 02, 2017 at 11:06 a.m.

Author and Historian Jim MacDonald of Baddeck, left, is shown with Antoine Hirsch, representative of the French Municipality near Vimy Ridge at a ceremony in Sydney March 24 to mark the twinning of CBRM's District 8 with Givenchy-en-Goelle.

His handsome, steely-eyed portrait hangs unobtrusively in Branch 53 of The Royal Canadian Legion in Baddeck - a real life war hero whose story disappeared in the mud and blood of Vimy Ridge 100 years ago.

If Canada’s contribution to that First World War battle was our first defining moment as a nation, as many historians cite, then Captain Percival William Anderson may well have been our first hero. But he is a hero most people have not heard of. Now a local historian and author wants to change all that.

Jim MacDonald of Baddeck is making the trip to France to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9. His mission is “to make sure the story of Anderson and The 85th is told.”

This is Captain Percival William Anderson of Big Baddeck (1885 - 1917).

Anderson was the commanding officer of C and D companies of the 85th Battalion NS Highlanders, which were made up mostly of Cape Bretoners and mainland Nova Scotians. In 1917 Hill 145, now home to the Vimy Memorial, was the most coveted part of the ridge. The British and French had failed to take the ridge from the Germans. Anderson and the rest of the Canadians were called up late in the day April 9.

This marked the first time the Canadian Expeditionary Force acted on its own. It was also the first time the 85th saw action. Though they had trained to fight, up until then they had been used as support troops. According to the book “The 85th In France and Flanders” by Lt. Joseph Hayes, when a soldier quipped to Anderson that it was their turn to go up the hill he replied, “Well, we will take it or never come back.” They took the hill without supporting artillery, went over the top, and along the way Anderson took out several German machine guns and rescued a wounded soldier.

However, the cost of victory was high with 56 members of the 85th killed and 281 wounded, many of whom died from their injuries. A total of 3,598 Canadians were killed during the battle and another 7,000 were wounded. Percival Anderson was awarded the Military Cross for distinguished conduct and devotion to duty, and was killed in the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium in October of that year.

After his death Anderson’s mud stained map of Hill 145 was returned home to his parents and with the passage of time the map eventually found its way to Jim MacDonald, who discovered Anderson’s story while writing a book about The 85th Battalion. “Honour Roll of the Nova Scotia Overseas Highland Brigade” was published in 2007.

MacDonald is making the trip to Vimy Ridge with a friend, Dr. William Fitzgerald of North Gut. They are being billeted at a home in Givenchy-en-Goelle, the village near Vimy that Canadians are credited with liberating, which has declared 2017 the “Year of Canada.” They will meet up with three members of the Cape Breton Highlanders Association who are also making the trip.

As part of the commemoration, a square in the village will be named for the 85th Battalion of the NS Highlanders and MacDonald will present a poster with a picture of Anderson, the story of his role, and a reproduction of his map of the hill. The poster was designed by MacDonald along with Dr. Andrew Holmes of Baddeck and Andrew Brooks of Bellwether Media. It is expected to be one of the main features of a permanent walkway and museum to commemorate the 100th anniversary. Visitors will even be able to download a digitized copy of the map onto their smartphones or tablets, thanks to a partnership between NSCC and L’Odysse’e de la Culture – Canada, the charitable organization promoting the exchange of culture and history between Canada and France that will ensure the next generation recognizes the role of Canada’s veterans in the First World War in general and the 85th Battalion NS Highlanders in particular. MacDonald is also working on a book about Anderson and his two siblings, all of whom served in the First World War, which is expected to be ready in the near future.

It seems incredible to me that the story of Percival Anderson is not better known but MacDonald says with all the fighting and death at the time it is not surprising to him that the story was missed.

“It would have been lost at the time. My aim is a permanent exhibit on Hill 145,” he says. “Now is the time to give the 85th and Anderson their proper due.”

I think Percival Anderson would be proud to know that.

Cindy MacRae is a journalist and mental health advocate. She can be reached at cindymacrae2@gmail.com